The carnal dimension of love of Catholic spouses

Abstract

According to the Encyclical Humanae vitae of Pope Paul VI, conjugal love should be human (sensual and spiritual), full, faithful and exclusive, and fruitful. Human sexuality has a purpose and meaning. In addition to the procreative meaning, it also contains a bonding element, openness to the needs of the other, love, care, interest. However, to be complete, it requires communication, also in terms of intimate needs. Their proper satisfaction, with the appropriate level of maturity and religious activity, is the basis for marital fidelity. A proper understanding of the essence of sexuality allows the development of openness to life and the selection of appropriate methods of family planning, consistent with moral standards. For Christians, religious principles are the basis for understanding human nature, also in the sexual dimension, at the same time being the basis for formulating and understanding adequate norms derived from natural law. Respecting the principles of Catholic moral ethics puts marriage and family life in order. The aim of the considerations is to present human sexuality as an expression of conjugal love, which should be human, full, faithful, exclusive and fertile. In order to consider the normative significance of religion in the sex life of Catholic couples, a critical analysis of various sources was conducted. This included examining Church documents, books, and articles in scientific journals. The method applied in this paper involved a critical analysis of selected texts and a synthesis of their content. The basis for the considerations will be the Encyclical Humanae vitae of Pope Paul VI supplemented with modern knowledge in the field of biology, psychology, sexology and theology of marriage and family.